The 2026 Antimicrobial Peptide Conference hosted by UNMC’s Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology this month drew more than 200 researchers from 33 countries. The Zoom event, titled “Antimicrobial Peptides: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow II,” featured leading figures in antimicrobial peptide research from around the world.
The Oct. 19 event was the second such conference—the first was in 2023, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Antimicrobial Peptide Database created by the laboratory of Guangshun “Gus” Wang, PhD, a professor in UNMC’s Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology. The database has been embraced around the globe by scientists, who have cited it thousands of times in their research.
Joining Dr. Wang as conference chairs were Chuck Bevins, MD, PhD, from the University of California Davis, and Monique van Hoek, PhD, from George Mason University.
Dr. Joseph Khoury, department chairman, opened the conference. “It is an honor and a privilege to have the University of Nebraska Medical Center host the meeting,” he said, congratulating the conference co-chairs for putting together an outstanding agenda. “There’s really not a single talk or presentation that doesn’t promise to be exciting and at the forefront of the field.” One anti-aging peptide and one cyclotide pesticide announced during the meeting are already on the market, Dr. Wang noted.
The 16th and final presenter of the day was David Craik, PhD, from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Dr. Wang noted that Dr. Craik’s talk started before 8 a.m. the next day.
Dr. van Hoek quipped: “Yesterday, today and tomorrow, and David, you’re the tomorrow.”
The conference co-chairs said there were many great interactions during the day and lots of questions. So many questions that Dr. Wang said they’ll need to adjust the schedule for the next conference to include more time for audience Q&A.
“I want to thank everybody for their contribution. Hopefully we’ll see you again, maybe in two years,” he said.